The Kings signed Royce White to consecutive 10-day contracts, but allowed the most recent one to expire without inking the troubled player for the remainder of the season.

Sacramento hardly gave White a decent look, at least at the NBA level. The first 10 days or so he spent in the D-League, and when he was actually with the Kings, he managed to log just nine total minutes over three separate appearances.

Somewhat ironically, the biggest test for White would have come now, as Sacramento embarks on a three-game road trip that would have required White to overcome his anxiety disorder and fear of flying to make the journey, thereby showing he could in fact handle a very basic part of NBA life without incident. But just as it was with his time on the floor, the franchise wasn’t willing to give him that chance.

The Kings did not sign him to a new contract for the rest of the season, but head coach Michael Malone wouldn’t rule out a possible return for the rookie forward.

“The door is not closed,” Malone said after practice when asked about the potential for White to rejoin the team after its upcoming three-game road trip. “The 10-day has ended, but that doesn’t mean that the relationship has ended for good.” …

“I think for him and his future and his career, he has to start amending some of the things that have happened in the past,” Malone said of White. “Everybody here can only speak positively about our time with Royce and as we just mentioned, it doesn’t mean that his time here is over. For right now it is, but I appreciate his hard work.”

Malone is referring, of course, to the way White handled his situation when first coming into the league with the Houston Rockets.

White said all the right things while in Sacramento, however, so he may in fact get another opportunity in the future. The Kings may have signed him for 20 days, but he hardly got a complete look — both in terms of minutes played, as well as seeing whether his travel issues are truly a thing of the past.

the Wizards have shown little appetite for dealing Otto Porter anywhere for a return heavy on future assets and cap flexibility, sources say

John Wall‘s massive contract looked barely movable even before he underwent season-ending surgery. Washington seems unwilling to take a step back by trading star Bradley Beal.

So, that leaves unloading Porter – who’s earning $26,011,913 this year and due $55,739,815 over the next two seasons – as the obvious way to create cap flexibility and accumulate future assets. If the Wizards are unwilling to do that, it speaks volumes to their plan.

They don’t want to rebuild. They want to win now. Porter can help them do that.

In many ways, it’s noble Washington is so committed to winning, even at great expense. That’s generally what we want from teams. We don’t want them to give up or cut costs just because they’re a couple games out of playoff position midway through the season.

But the Wizards’ spending has been… uneven. Leonsis greenlit a payroll well into the luxury tax and is apparently willing to keep Porter, which likely keeps that payroll high. Yet, Washington is also holding as many roster spots vacant as allowed, offering small savings rather than adding depth amid multiple injuries.

Maybe the Wizards just don’t believe they could sign minimum-salary players who’d actually help. But insurance never hurts on the court.

So, Washington is left looking content holding its few major contracts, nickeling-and-diming down the roster, winning a barely moderate amount and not gaining better position for the future. I’m unconvinced that’s a worthy vision, but if that’s what the Wizards want, keeping Porter helps stay that course.

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been fined $35,000 for aggressively pursuing an opponent in an attempt to escalate a physical altercation and failing to leave the court in a timely manner following his ejection, it was announced today by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident, which took place after Smart was assessed his second technical foul and was ejected, occurred with 7:35 remaining in the third quarter of the Celtics’ 113-105 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 19

Smart was seemingly near the line between this fine and a suspension. He’s fortunate to land on the side he did.